Epimedium plant named &#39;conalba&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Epimedium hybrida  cultivar is provided that displays a low-growing clumping growth habit. The new cultivar flowers in April and May and forms attractive white blossoms that commonly are borne above the foliage. The plant is well suited for providing distinctive ornamentation when grown in containers, in rock gardens, or as a ground cover. Attractive light green deciduous leaflets are formed. The plant grows well in full sun to moderate shade. During observations to date the new variety has been found to be readily amenable to asexual propagation by division.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Epimedium hybrida/Bishop's Hat

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

cv. Conalba

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Epimedium hybrida cultivar of the present invention was firstdiscovered during about 1982 as a found seedling in the garden of myhome at Kennett Square, Pa., U.S.A. The exact parentage of the newhybrid cultivar is unknown. It is believed that the new plant may be achance cross of common Epimedium diphyllum (non-patented in the UnitedStates) and Epimedium youngianum ‘Niveum’ (non-patented in the UnitedStates). Such presumed parentage of the new cultivar of the presentinvention can be expressed as follows:

Epimeidum diphyllum×Epimedium youngianum ‘Niveum’.

The identity of the male parent is not known with certainty.

The new cultivar of the present invention was carefully preserved andhas been further studied and evaluated at multiple sites beginning in1988. Had the new cultivar of the present invention not been discoveredand preserved it would have been lost to mankind.

It was found that the new cultivar of the present invention exhibits thefollowing combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a ) displays a low-growing clumping growth habit,    -   (b) forms attractive light green deciduous leaflets,    -   (c) grows well in full sun to moderate shade,    -   (d) forms attractive white flowers that generally are positioned        above the foliage during April and May,    -   (e) propagates readily by division, and    -   (f) is well suited for providing distinctive ornamentation when        grown in containers, in rock gardens, or as a ground cover.

The new cultivar of the present invention well meets the needs of thehorticultural industry and expands the choices of herbaceous perennials,and especially the ornamental ground covers. It performs well in rockgardens, and when grown in containers. The attractive flowers usuallyare held above the foliage and commonly are displayed during April andMay at Eastern, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. The growing requirements for thenew cultivar are generally comparable to those of the species. The plantgrows well in fertile humus-rich soil with regular adequate but notexcessive water. Commonly the plant is cut back in winter before newgrowth resumes and clumps are divided in the springtime. Approximately12 months are needed to produce a commercial one-gallon container plantfollowing division.

The new cultivar of the present invention can be readily distinguishedfrom the ‘Niveum’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States) upon aninspection of the leaves. More specifically, the leaves of the newcultivar are more delicate in appearance.

The new cultivar of the present invention can be readily distinguishedfrom the ‘Purple Pixie’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,966) upon aninspection of the new growth. More specifically, the new cultivardisplays green new growth while the new growth of the ‘Purple Pixie’cultivar is reddish-purple in coloration.

Division has been used to asexually propagate the new variety at KennettSquare and West Grove, Pa., U.S.A. It has been found that thedistinctive combination of characteristics of the new cultivar is firmlyfixed and is reliably transmitted to succeeding generations followingsuch division.

The new cultivar has been named ‘Conalba’ and will be marketed under theALABASTER trademark.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows a flowering specimen of the newcultivar in color at an age of approximately four years as nearly trueas it is reasonably possible to make the same in a color illustration ofthis nature. The photograph was taken on Mar. 31, 2005, and shows atypical plant while being grown in a garden setting at Kennett Square,Pa., U.S.A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar that wasobtained while observing plants having an age of approximately fouryears during February and March when grown in three-gallon containers atWest Grove, Pa., U.S.A., under greenhouse growing conditions. The chartused in the identification color is the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England. More common color terms are tobe accorded their ordinary dictionary significance.

-   Botanical classification: Epimedium hybrida, ‘Conalba’.-   Plant:    -   -   Habit.—Clumping.        -   Type.—Deciduous herbaceous perennial.        -   Height.—Approximately 20 to 25 cm at maturity when in bloom.        -   Width.—Approximately 35 cm. at maturity when in bloom.        -   Root system.—Fine and fibrous.        -   Rhizomes.—The plant spreads in width by rhizomes at a rate            of approximately 1 to 2 inches per year. The rhizomes            commonly are approximately 1 mm in diameter, possess an            internode length of approximately 1 cm, and commonly are            between Greyed-Yellow Group 161A and 161B in coloration.-   Stems:    -   -   Branching habit.—Stems arise from rhizomes and typically            branch at approximately 7 cm on average. Primary stems will            commonly branch into 2 stems with 1, 2, or 3 leaflets and            possibly a flowering stem.        -   Length.—Variable, and commonly approximately 5 to 16 cm.        -   Shape.—Substantially cylindrical.        -   Texture.—Generally smooth to the touch and commonly with the            presence of light pubescence of less than 1 mm in length on            at least some stems.        -   Strength.—Moderate, are capable of remaining substantially            upright while supporting the flowers but have a tendency to            break when pulled in rough manner.        -   Color.—Greyed-Orange Group 176A.-   Leaflets:    -   -   Arrangement.—Whorled.        -   Division.—Biternate compound leaf.        -   Attachment.—Petiolate for leaves and leaflets.        -   Shape.—Cordate.        -   Length.—Approximately 2 cm when juvenile, and approximately            3 cm when mature.        -   Width.—Approximately 1 cm when juvenile, and approximately            2.5 cm when mature.        -   Margins.—Denticulate.        -   Apex.—Mostly acuminate, and with some more rounded.        -   Base.—Oblique.        -   Texture.—Without pubescence on both surfaces when juvenile            and when mature, and possess a satiny upper surface when            juvenile and mature.        -   Venation.—Palmate.        -   Vein color.—When juvenile, leaflets commonly Yellow-Green            Group 144C on the upper surface and Yellow-Green Group 144D            on the under surface, and on mature leaflets commonly            Yellow-Green Group 144B on the upper surface and            Yellow-Green Group 145B on the under surface.        -   Leaflet color.—When juvenile commonly Green Group 137C on            the upper surface and Green Group 138B on the under surface,            and when mature commonly between Yellow-Green Group 146B and            146C on the upper surface and between Yellow-Green Group            144A and 144B on the under surface.        -   Petioles.—Commonly approximately 6 cm in length,            approximately 1.5 mm in diameter, and near Greyed-Red Group            179C in coloration.        -   Petiolules.—Commonly approximately 3 to 5 cm in length and            approximately 1.5 mm in diameter.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Compound panicle.        -   Flowering time.—April and May.        -   Bud shape.—Globular.        -   Bud size.—Commonly approximately 4 mm in diameter and in            length.        -   Bud texture.—Smooth.        -   Bud apex.—Obtuse.        -   Bud color.—Yellow-Green Group 144C with Greyed-Yellow Group            160C.        -   Flower shape.—Typical to that of a Bishop's Hat plant, there            commonly are four flowers that appear to be joined together            but are actually separate having an outer grouping of four            spaced petals.        -   Flower quantity.—Commonly approximately 200 to 250 per plant            during a flowering season when grown in a three-gallon            container.        -   Flower diameter.—Commonly approximately 0.8 to 1 cm from            sepal tip to sepal tip, and approximately 1.3 to 1.5 cm from            spur tip to spur tip.        -   Flower depth.—Commonly approximately 7 mm.        -   Flower color.—Commonly between White Group 155B and 155D.        -   Petal number.—Four and not fused.        -   Petal shape.—Primarily cupped and rounded.        -   Petal apex.—Rounded.        -   Petal base.—Rounded.        -   Petal length.—Commonly approximately 7 mm.        -   Petal width.—Commonly approximately 6 mm.        -   Petal color.—Commonly between White Group 155B and 155D on            both surfaces.        -   Calcar number.—Four.        -   Calcar size.—Commonly approximately 4 mm in length and            approximately 2 mm in diameter.        -   Sepal number.—Four per individual flower.        -   Sepal shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Sepal texture.—Smooth on both surfaces.        -   Sepal margin.—Entire when dorsal and ventral.        -   Sepal apex.—Acuminate.        -   Sepal length.—Commonly approximately 2 to 2.5 mm.        -   Sepal width.—Commonly approximately 1.5 mm.        -   Sepal color.13 Commonly near Greyed-Purple Group 187B.        -   Peduncle size.—Commonly approximately 15 to 20 cm in length,            and approximately 2 mm in diameter.        -   Peduncle texture.—Smooth.        -   Peduncle color.—Grey-Brown Group 199A.        -   Pedicel size.—Commonly approximately 1.4 to 2 cm in length,            and approximately 1 mm in diameter.        -   Pedicel texture.—Smooth.        -   Pedicel color.—Near Grey-Brown Group 199A.        -   Fragrance.—Very light.        -   Stamen number.—Four.        -   Filament color.—Yellow Group 13C.        -   Anther color.—Yellow Group 13C.        -   Pollen color.—Yellow Group 13C.        -   Pistil number.—One.        -   Pistil color.—Yellow-Green Group 144B.        -   Fruit.—None observed during observations to date.-   Development:    -   -   Vegetation.—Clump-forming.        -   Blooming.—Commonly during April and May.        -   Resistance to diseases.—No particular resistance or            susceptibility to diseases has been noted during            observations to date.        -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 7, and possibly Zone            No. 6.        -   Resistance to pests.—No particular resistance or            susceptibility to pests has been noted during observations            to date.

Plants of the new ‘Conalba’ cultivar have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possiblethat the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in lightintensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmentalconditions.

1. A new and distinct Epimedium hybrida plant that exhibits thefollowing combination of characteristics: (a) displays a low-growingclumping growth habit, (b) forms attractive light green deciduousleaflets, (c) grows well in full sun to moderate shade, (d) formsattractive white flowers that generally are positioned above the foliageduring April and May, (e) propagates readily by division, and (f) iswell suited for providing distinctive ornamentation when grown incontainers, in rock gardens, or as a ground cover; substantially asillustrated and described.